
IRS says it will scrap facial-recognition ID.me plan following backlash
CBSN
The IRS on Monday said it will stop using face-recognition technology to authenticate taxpayers when they create online accounts. The decision comes amid a backlash from privacy advocates, taxpayers and lawmakers to the system from verification company ID.me.
The IRS said the shift away from using the facial-recognition technology will "occur over the coming weeks" to avoid disruptions during tax filing season, which is already facing a backlog of returns and paperwork. The plan had drawn criticism among civil liberties advocates and ordinary taxpayers over concerns that the system — which requires users to upload their ID and submit a selfie or video chat with an agent — could provide troves of personal information to hackers.

Robert Morris, founding pastor of Gateway Church, a megachurch in Southlake, Texas, has been indicted on five counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child, stemming from alleged incidents dating back to the 1980s, the Oklahoma attorney general's office announced Wednesday. We are aware of the actions being taken by the legal authorities in Oklahoma and are grateful for the work of the justice system in holding abusers accountable for their actions. We continue to pray for Cindy Clemishire and her family, for the members and staff of Gateway Church, and for all of those impacted by this terrible situation.